Stop means for textile machines



c. B. HAYES ETAL STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Dec; 26,-1944.

Filed Feb. 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l I Decf26, 1944. c; B. HA ES p 2,366,105

STOP mans Forc TEx'rILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1944' s Sheets-Sheet;

INVENTORS CLYDE B. HAYES! HOWARD HTHORPE 1944. c. B. HAYES ETAL 2,366,105

-S'IOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet s mmvroas I CLYDE B. HAYES 8 BY HOWARD H.THOR PE Patented Dec. 26,

STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Clyde B. Hayes, Saratoga Springs, and Howard H. Thorpe, Tonawanda, N. Y., assignors to Van, Raalte Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1944, Serial No. 521,546

14 Claims. This invention relates to textil machines and particularly to improvements in the feeding or thread or yarn therein or thereto. More particularly, the invention is directed to stop means for use in the textile arts for causing machine stoppage under abnormal conditions of thread or yarn passage. r

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,330,212, dated September 28, 1943, granted to Clyde B. Hayes and Henry J. Czech, there is disclosed a novel stop means for textile machines wherein the necessity-for individual drop wires or heddles for each thread is obviated by the provision of a pair of spaced electrodes which are effective to close an electrical circuit when bridged by a thread having electrically conductive properties. In the aforesaid application a pair of spaced parallel rollers are provided and the rollers, which comprise a single elctrode, rotate 'counter to the direction of thread movement. The second electrode is disposed between the pair'of spaced rollers.

In the stop means of the patent referred to in the preceding paragraph, the force of gravity alone is relied upon for causing broken or slack threads or strands to fall to the stop means for activating the same. ,This renders operation un- A certain under some conditions. By way of example, cotton thread or'yarn may be characterized by the presence of minute cotton fibres which project laterally from the main body of the thread. In certain textile machines, tricot knitting machines for instance, a number of threads or strands may extend in relatively close adjacency. 4

In the case of thread or yarn having the fuzzy characteristics referred to above, a thread which is not under tension, 'by reason of breakage or otherwise, may continue to be supported in its normal path and fed therealong byadjacent threads or strands by reason of contact between the projecting tentacles or processes of adjacent threads or strands.

The Ioregoing reference to cotton yarn is set forth merely by way of example and similar dim- ,culties may be encountered in the .use of other strands or threads, either natural or synthetic. Slight misalignments o! wa'rpmay result in an untensed or broken thread being supported-by adjacent threads even without the objectionable tentablesor fuzz round on 'cotton yarn.

. Further, other-influences may militate against the prompt dropping of abnormal threads or strands, particularly where relatively fine thread tion currents and the attractive or repulsive eifects of extraneous static electrical charges are among the adventitious influences which may prevent or delay the prompt dropping of slack, broken or otherwise abnormal threads or strands,

Whil in the specific example herein described in detail reference is had to a warp stop of the I displacement of a thread or strand from its normal path efiects machine stoppage, without the usual and conventional interposition of heddles or drop wires. For instance, photo-sensitive means may be arranged to sense the passage of an abnormal thread or strand from or outside of the confines of normal thread or yarn travel.

Here again, dependence is bad on certain displacement of broken or slack threads from the normal line ,0! travel.

According to the present invention means are provided for applying a fluid pressure urge against a number of threads or strands in such a way that if any of them becomes slack or broken it will be displaced from the normal thread path in the desired direction within a short time.

interval. The'fluid pressure urge in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is in the form of a fine blast or series of blasts and, to bring about the desired results within practical limits, it is desirable, although not essential, to reciprocate the fluid pressure means in such a way that a single flue blast or jet may traverse or scan a number of parallel threads. The frequency of reciprocation may be such that each thread or strand feels the effect of the fluid pressure urge at intervals short enough to produce stoppage within a very brief period after thread or yarn failure. Y I

By way of example the invention is shown, in

o the present instance, as applied to a tricot knitting machine, and again by way of example, it will be assumed that cotton thread or yarn is Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the stop means of Fig. 1; and

or yarnis being operated upon. Casual convec- Fig. 3 is. fragmentary toil plan view of the or strands mechanism for reciprocating the fluid pressure means.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts. Inthe accompanying drawings we have illustrated only the electrodes comprising the present novel arrangement. These electrodes are preferably associated with machine controlling electrical circuits in the manner clearly shown and described in Hayes et al. Patent No. 2,330,212,

vwherein the circuit containing the electrodes 7 serves as the input of an audion amplifier whose output circuit directly controls machine operation by association with conventional relay operated switches. Since every detail of the electrical portion of the device of the present invention, beginning with the electrical conductors leading from the illustrated electrodes, may be identical with the electrical means shown and completely described in the prior application, the

stantially horizontal direction for a portion of its. I

travel between the warp and the knitting mechanism of the machine (not shown). It is contemplated that in conventional tricot machines employing a pair of warp beams, a separate set of electrodes will be provided for each of the warp beams.

In Fig. 1 the warp is shown coming ofi of the bottom of the beam l2 but this will be varied to suit the circumstances of particular machines and the warp beam supports will be so. arranged that thread angles about the whip roll are not too acute for practical operation. In tricot machines employing two warp beams, one may feed warp from the bottom. and the other from the top of the beam. showing A indicates the most acute thread angle, when the warp beam I2 is practically depleted, while the dot and dash showing B shows the thread path when the warp beam is full.

In the drawings the numeral l5 designates an elongate pan'whichextends from one side of the machine to the other beneath the entire warp, which is designated IS in Fig. 1. The pan l5 may be attached to the machine in any convenient manner. In its illustrated form the pan l5, which is of arcuate transverse cross section, rests in a pair of insulating blocks l8 which in turnv are secured to a base plate l9 whose opposite ends may be downwardly flanged as at 20, forsecurement to inverted U-shaped brackets 22 carried by the side frames l0 and I l.

It may be reiterated here that any form of electrosensitive warp stop means may be used in combination with the present thread or yarn diverting means without departing from the basic teachings of the present invention. A specific preferred form of the stop means per se is, however, set forth here by way of example.

, A fountain roller 24 is supported with its axis lengthwise of pan l5 by means of bearing blocks 25 of insulating material, the roller 24 being so disposed that its lower portion is immersed in an electrically conductive liquid 28 contained in pan In Fig. 1 the dot and dash IS. A wick 21 extends lengthwise of pan 15 as shown and is folded in such a way that it insures an even coating of liquid on the surface of the roller 24 at the point where it leaves the liquid. In Fig. 1 the numeral 28 designates a pair of electrical conductors which extend along and grip a marginal edge of wick 21. The roller 24 is continuously rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l. i i

A second roller 29 is disposed parallel to roller 24 and is supported for rotation by bearing blocks 30 which are supported by brackets 3| secured to the frame members l0 and II. In the illustrated instance it is desired to rotate both of the rollers 24 and-29 in a counter-clockwise direction 1 as viewed in Fig. 1 and to this end they are beltconnected as at 32. Either of the rollers 24 or 29 may have driving connection with any convenient rotating part of the machine with which the apparatus is associated. In the case of a tricot knitting machine, for instance, one of the rollers 24 and 29 may be gear or pulley-connected with the pattern wheel shaft of the knitting machine. In the drawings such gearing is partiall illustrateithe roller 29 having a bevel gear 33 and a stub shaft 34 having a meshing bevel gear 35.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a pair of.e1ectrode wires 31 and 38 extend between and are supported by the insulating bearing blocks 25. One of the electrode wires is disposed at either side of roller 24 and in the form illustrated they;

. are disposed just-slightly .below the top surface of,

roller 24. The electrode wires 31 and 3B and the roller 29 have a common electrical connector' whereby they form one electrode of'a primary machine stopping circuit similar to that set forth in Hayes et al. Patent No. 2,330,212. The pan I, the wick 21 and the roller 24 have a common electrical conductor leading therefrom and form an opposite spaced electrode of the. primary machine stopping circuit.

In a preferred form the roller 29 is provided with a relatively rough surface as by sand-blast ing and the roller 24 has a less rough surface. I

. rollers and is made wet with conductive liquidby contact with the roller 24. As the portion of! the thread or strand which is made wet by contact with roller 24 moves awa from roller 24 it normally com'es to electrode wire 31 to completea machine stopping circuit. Iffor any reason itdoes not fall to electrode wire 31 but is drawn forwardly by and to roller 29, the machine stopping circuit is alternatively closed. If for any. reason the wet portion of the broken or slack: thread or strand extends rearwardly from roller. 24 it will close a cicu'it to the electrode wire 38.

According to the present invention pneumatic thread displacing means are provided for urging broken or slack threads or strands toward the stop means comprising the rollers and the electrode wires. The pneumatic means is preferably disposed at the opposite-side of the threads from the stop means, in the illustrated instance above the warp path, and may comprise atube 40 extending across the entire warp, as in Fig. 2. The tube 40 is supported at its ends by shafts 4| and 42'which have axially sliding bearing in the frame members In and H and the interior tube 40 facing the warp, in'the illustration the warp threads.

bottom thereof, is provided with a series of openings 45 which form fluid pressure jets serving to blow threads against which they impinge to the stop means. r In the interests of economy of air displacement' and to insure a sufflcient thread-propulsive force within practical limits, the tube- 40 50 may be fixed to stub shaft 34, as shown in Fig. 3-. A rocker arm 5!, medially pivotally supported in any desired manner, has a cam follower 52 at one endand a slot 53 at its other end. Slot 53 receives a pin 55'carried by an arm 56 fixed to the shaft 4 I. An extension coil spring 51 biases the tube 40 to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 so that rotation of cam 50 continuously and uniformly reciprocates the tube 40 over the warp.

The foregoing structure is found to effectively insure the displacement of broken or slack threads to a point where they activate the stop means. i

, What is claimed is:

I. In a textile machine having knitting mechanism, a warp beam forsupplying yarn thereto, and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path, and means for directing a current of air against said threads of sufficient and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; a machinestopping circuit having spaced electrodes adjacent said normal thread path, said circuit being closable by displacement rof a thread from said predetermined normal path to said electrodes, means for directing a current of air against said threads to displace broken or slack threads from said normal path to said electrodes, and means for reciprocating said air-directing means transversely of the thread path to successively impinge air against a number of transverselyoccurring threads. I

5. In a textile machine having knitting mechanism, a warp beam for supp ing'yam thereto, and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement ofa thread from said predetermined normal path, means for directing a fluidcurrent toward said threads to urge broken or slack threads from said normal path to actuate said stop means, and means for moving said fluid currentmeans across the thread path'to direct fiuid against a plurality of transversely spaced threads.

7 threads from said normal path to actuate said and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path, means for directing a current of air against said threads to displace broken or slack threads from said normal path tq. actuate said stop means, and means for reciprocating said air directing means transversely of the thread path to successively impinge air against a number of transversely-occurring threads. 3. In a textile, machine having knitting mechanism, a warp beam. for supplying yarn thereto,

and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; a machinestopping circuit having spaced electrodes adjacent said normal threa'dpath, said circuit being closable by displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path to said electrodes,

- and means for directing a current of air against said threads of sufllcient intensity to'displace broken or slack threads from said normal path to actuate said stop means. 3

4. In a textile machine having knitting mecha- 111 m n beam. for p yin ram thereto,

. 6. In a textile machine having knitting mechanism, a warp beam for supplying yarn thereto, and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knitting mechanism; stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path, means for directing a current of air against said threads to urge broken or slack stop means, said means comprising an elongate fluid casing extending transversely of said normal thread path and having a series of openings therealong directed toward the thread path, and means for reciprocating said fluid casing whereby air issuing from saidopenings successively impinges against adjacent threads whereby all of the threadsare acted upon by said air directing means.

7. Ina textile machine having thread-feedingmeans and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal'path, stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from-said predetermined normal path, and means for directing a current v of air against said thread of suflicient intensity to displace broken or slack threads from said normal path to'actuate said stop means.

8. In a textile machine having thread-feedingto a predetermined normal path, a machine-stopping circuit having spaced electrodes adjacent said normal thread patmsaid circuit being closable by displacement of a thread from said pr'edetermined normal path to said electrodes, and

means for directing a current of air against said threads ofsuflicient intensity to displace broken or slack threads from said normal path to actuate said stop means. 1

10. In a textile machine having thread-feeding means and means for constraining normal threads toa predetermined normal path, a machine-stopping circuit having spaced electrodes adjacent said normal thread path, said circuit being closable by displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path to said electrodes,- means for directing a current of air against said threads to displace broken or .slack threads from said normal path to said electrodes, andmeans for reciprocating'said air directing determined normal path, means for directing a currentpof air against said threads to urge broken or slack threads from said normal path to actuate said stop means, said means comprising an elongate fluid casing extending transversely of said normal thread path and having a series of openings therealong directed toward the thread means transversely of the thread path to successively impinge air against a number of transversely-occurring threads.

11. Ina textile machine having thread-feeding means and means for constraining normal fluid current means across the thread path to direct fluid against a plurality oftransversely spaced threads.

12. In a textile machine having thread-feeding means and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path, stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from said prepath, and means for reciprocating said fluid casing whereby air issuing from said openings successively impinges against adjacent threads whereby all of the threads are acted upon by said air directing means.

13. In a textile machine having knitting mechanism, a warp beam for supplying yarn thereto, and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path between said warp beam and said knittingmechanism; stop means adjacent said normal thread path and sensitive to displacement of a thread from said predetermined normal path, and means for directing a fluid current toward said threads to urge broken or slack threads from said normal path to actuate said stop means.

14. In a textile machine having thread-feeding means and means for constraining normal threads to a predetermined normal path, stop means adjacent said normal thread path and CLYDE B. HAYES. HOWARD H. THORPE. 

